The Business and Environment Initiative at Harvard Business School was founded in 2010 to educate business leaders about environmental challenges and opportunities through case writing, conferences, and other programs. The Initiative's goals are to support faculty research on the environment, educate MBA students on sustainability topics, and promote awareness of HBS's commitment to environmental issues among alumni and other constituencies. Students can get involved by signing up for the Initiative's newsletter, attending events, applying to the advisory board, and participating in the mentorship program.

1. 1. Whendidthe BusinessandEnvironmentInitiative launch,andwhywasitfounded?
The BEI launchedin2010. It wasfoundedinorderto educate businessleadersaboutthe environmental
challenges andopportunitiesconfrontingbusinessestoday andtohelpthemdesigneffectivesolutions.
The initiative promotesresearchaboutthe relationshipsbetweeneconomicsystemsandthe natural
environment,andaboutthe structuresthatenable firmstoact productivelyinthisarena.Itdevelops
innovative cases,teachingnotes,andothercurriculummaterialsbothforourownuse and for broader
distributiontoMBA and Executive Educationprograms.Inaddition,BEIorganizesconferences,
seminars,andsymposiathatincrease the visibilityof environmental problemsandtheirsolutionsamong
students,alumni,andthe broaderbusinesscommunity.
2. What are the Initiative’sgoals?
Our primarygoalsare to catalyze andsupportfacultyresearchrelatedtothe environment;educate
MBA’s on the value of natural resourcesandthe opportunitiesof environmental innovations;inform
and engage alumni toleverage theirexpertise relatingtoenvironmental issues;andpromote awareness
across constituenciesof the HBScommitmenttoenvironmental sustainability.
3. Can youtell ushow you’re involvedincase writing?
We have a group of core facultywhoare veryactive in writingcasesaswell asothercurriculum
materialsonenvironmental topicssuchasclimate change,sustainablecities,cleanenergy,and
integratedreporting. We feature the latestcasesinourresearchupdate,whichisemailedtointernal
and external faculty,practitionersand variousotherconstituents—agreatwaytoshowcase the latestin
HBS researchon businessandthe environmenttoa wide audience.
4. Do youhost conferencesduringthe year?
Yes,we do. For instance,lastMarch 11-12, we workedwithAlumni Relationstoputon Businessand
Environment2015: EnvironmentalChallengesand Solutionsin theFood Sector.The exclusive event
broughttogetherHBS faculty,alumni leaders,and industryexpertsfortwodaysof rigorousdiscussions
on resource constraints,foodwaste,consumerconcernsandexcitinginnovations. Inyearspast,we’ve
hostedPaul Polman(CEOof Unilever),CarterRobertsMBA ’88 (CEO of World Wildlife Fund),Mark
TercekMBA ’84 (CEO of The Nature Conservancy),andFelipe Calderon(formerpresidentof Mexico).
DuringHarvard’s Climate WeekinApril 2015, we organizedourownseriesof guestspeakersand
activitiesduringthe week.
5. What are the biggestchallengesyouface?
Some of the challengeswe face are tryingto integrate more sustainabilitycontentintothe first-year
curriculum,providing tailoredcareerresourcesforstudentsinterestedinarange of sustainabilityfields,
and trackingthe evolutionof classroomdiscussionsof environmental topics.Ourcore facultyas well as
our studentadvisoryboard,whichconsistsof first-yearandsecond-yearstudents,helpusthroughmany
of these obstacles.
6. What eventsandresourcesdoyouoffer?
In additiontobringinghigh-profilespeakersoncampus,we alsoofferLunch& Learn seriesforour
students wherebytheygathertojoinBEI facultyforinformal lunchtime discussionsaboutenvironment-
relatedresearchandinterests.We’ve alsosuccessfully runanannual mentorshipprogramwhich

2. connectsstudentstoalumni mentorsworkinginenvironment-relatedsectorswhoprovidecareeradvice
and direction.The BEIStudentAdvisoryBoardisanothergreatwayfor interestedMBA’stocontribute
to the missionof the initiative bygivingfeedback,trackingcurriculumdevelopment,andworkingon
variousotherprojects.
7. What do youhope prospective studentsknow aboutthe BusinessandEnvironmentInitiative?
We hope thatprospective studentsknow thatBEIis workingdiligentlytointegrate the principlesof
sustainabilityintobusinesseducation,todisseminatecuttingedge research,andto make career
resourcesinsustainabilitymore accessible andabundantoncampus. And,that there are opportunities
for studentstogetinvolvedinthese efforts.
8. Why doyou thinkthe Business&EnvironmentInitiative isanimportantpartof the HBS
ecosystem?
Environmental issuesare bynature general managementissues,withimplicationsforeveryaspectof
the businessandsupplychain,forbusinessstrategy,andforthe waysinwhichfirmsworkwith
stakeholders.Inaddition,economicprosperityandgrowthdependtoa large degree onthe healthof
the ecosystem,andourgoal isto make thisas self-evidentaspossible atHBS.
9. How can studentsgetinvolvedwiththe Initiative?
Theycan signup for our newsletter,eventandresearchupdates,checkourwebsite forcareerresources
and participate inthe mentorprogram.Theycan alsoapplyto be on our advisoryboard.
10. What do youthinkpeople wouldbe surprisedtoknow aboutthe BE Initiative?
That the BEI isable to accomplishalotof projectsthroughoutthe yearwitha veryleanteam.
11. How are membersof the alumni communityinvolvedwithBEI?
We have a listof alumni who receive ourdigital alumninewsletter,we engage theminourmentorship
program,and we alsowork withAlumni Relationsingrowingourlistof alumni whoworkinthe
sustainabilityspace.We are veryinterestedinfacilitatingrelationshipsbetweenalumni andMBA’sand
providingastrongnetworkingbase forsustainabilityprofessionals.
12. Can youtell usabout the leadershipteam?
Currently,RebeccaHendersonandForestReinhardtare the facultyco-chairsandI am the onlyfull-time
staff member. Additional facultymembersthatplayleadershiproleswithinthe Initiative include Mike
Toffel,JohnMacomber,andJosephLassiter. Youcan view theirprofileshere:
http://www.hbs.edu/environment/about/Pages/leadership.aspx
Writtenby:Marina I. Jokic
November,2015